


Helping Hands

by theidlerwheel



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Drabble, F/F, Hair, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 10:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11942436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theidlerwheel/pseuds/theidlerwheel
Summary: Liara gives the Commander a pep talk before an important dinner.





	Helping Hands

**Author's Note:**

> A sort-of first part to "Formal Blues", but not quite. Some of the same concepts are used but I wanted to try out both scenarios. Maybe one day i'll put them together more cohesively. I like to think that Liara is officially Shepard's hairdresser when times are tough, lol. Written with default Earthborn profile.

The hair pin fell to the floor with a dull rattle.

“ _Damn it._ ”

It was no use. She was going to have to call for help.

“Li, could you come in here for a minute?”

Shepard sat in front of the bathroom mirror half-dressed in formal Alliance uniform, anticipating Liara’s footsteps. Eventually, a blue face peeked gingerly round the door. 

“Did you fall?” 

“No, nothing like that. I, uh... I need your help with this,” Shepard sheepishly gestured to the back of her head. She had never been fashion-conscious, however the use of only one arm now made things slightly more complicated. “The Alliance wants to present me with a fancy medal and I can’t even scrub myself up. Here...” she handed Liara a datapad showing a photograph of a gaunt young woman in dress blues, her hair tied tightly into a neat bun. “You remember how to do this, right?”

Liara gave a small smile, repeating the familiar ritual of taking Shepard’s auburn hair into her hands and letting it fall through her fingers. She began to twist it into shape. “Of course. Is that you?”

Shepard nodded, handing her several accessories. “A year after I enlisted.” 

“You were very thin,” Liara mumbled through a mouthful of pins. 

Shepard looked askance into the mirror. “Remind me why I freed you from that forcefield, again?” 

“Oh, stop,” Liara swatted her playfully with a free hand, eliciting a theatrical cry of pain from her bondmate. “You know what I meant.” 

Shepard made the decision to bite her tongue in response . Getting on Liara’s bad side while she had full control of her head would be a very unwise decision indeed - that was a lesson she had learned several times over. She sat back and tried to concentrate on the motions of Liara’s fingers smoothing the hairs round her ears, contrasting with the sharp pulling sensations round the back of her neck. It stopped her mind from wandering too far, at least.

As was custom when Shepard was too close to fully relaxing, a shrill beeping pierced the air. She opened her omnitool with hesitation, scrolling through to find the source of the noise. 

“Fuck,” she exhaled sharply, rapidly firing off several more expletives.

“What is it?” 

“Forty-five minutes until the cab arrives.” 

Liara quietly applied her finishing touches, swivelling Shepard round in the chair to face her. Kneeling on the tiled floor, she took the Commander’s face in her hands, gently thumbing the thick scar running through her brow. 

“You look wonderful.”

“Thanks, Li. I’m just worried that--”

“That you don’t deserve it? That you’re not supposed to be there?”

There was a pause as Shepard averted her eyes and looked down to the floor, reminiscent of a small child being scolded by its mother. Liara rose to her feet, pulling Shepard up with her and taking her hand. 

“Jane, look at me. I can assure you that if anyone deserves to be commended for what they did, it’s you. I know that’s not what you’re telling yourself right now. But you saved those people's lives. You saved _our_ lives.”

“Yeah,” Shepard conceded, finally meeting her gaze. “You’re right. I just hate this kind of thing.”

Liara reached up to plant a small kiss on Shepard’s cheek. “Well, as long as you don’t plan on uncovering any more plots to destroy the galaxy, I think this will be a one-time event.”

“True. At least I’ve got you coming with me.”

“That you do,” Liara smiled, sliding her arm round Shepard’s waist. “Come, I have some dresses that I’d like your opinion on. It should only take about five minutes.”

“And the other forty?” 

“What we do with that time,” said Liara coyly, “is entirely up to you.”

“Yes ma’am,” Shepard grinned, closing the door behind them.


End file.
